Voices Rise

source

The children have no fear to speak

Their voices rise above the grief

that cuts us low and makes us meek

but children have no fear to speak

Our honesty is all they seek

Just listening provides relief

The children have no fear to speak

Their voices rise above the grief.

 

submitted for Verse First, Voices, at Poets United

Rainy Days of Spring

source

She loves the rainy days of spring

She dances out the kitchen door

To twirl and splash while robins sing

She loves the rainy days of spring

Much more than flowers, showers bring

the fragrance of sweet petrichor

She loves the rainy days of spring

She dances out the kitchen door.

submitted  for   Day 23 triolets, of NaPoWri Mo,

No Limits

“Every 47 minutes, a woman tests positive for HIV in the United States."
 
How limited is your compassion?

How can you judge another's worth

as if they were a piece of fashion

How limited is your compassion?

Your love and care you need not ration

The more you give, the less the dearth

How limited is your compassion?

How can you judge another's worth?

submitted for Poetry Jam,  Inner and Outer Limits

and dVerse Poets Pub, Form For All, Triolets

Roses

a grave at the Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow

Don't bring me roses when I'm dead

Or jewels to wear upon my hand

What good to me in Earthen bed?

Don't bring me roses when I'm dead

Plant flowers with me now instead

Find seashell treasures in the sand

Don't bring me roses when I'm dead

Or jewels to wear upon my hand

submitted for The Mag 103

The Advance of Middle Age

Her body is an occupied city

The fortress has been seized

The ruin and devastation a pity

Her body is an occupied city

It used to be so bright and pretty

The invading troops can not be appeased

Her body is an occupied city

The fortress has been seized

submitted for Poetry Jam, Occupy This!

and Poetic Bloomings, Triolet

source

Winter Poem

Winter by whooa

The cold has slowed the noise of restless Fall

and hoarfrost coats the grass beneath our feet

From Autumn's warmth descends December's pall

The cold has slowed the noise of restless Fall

Eath's shoulders draped within a white prayer shawl

We contemplate another year complete

The cold has slowed the noise of restless Fall

and hoarfrost coats the grass beneath our feet.

submitted for Thursday Think Tank at Poets United

Phantom

image courtesy of Magpie Tales

What lies beneath the mask you wear?
What awful truths you cannot tell?
Some fearful secret you can't bear?
What lies beneath the mask you wear?
A pact made in the Devil's lair
You seem a phantom sent from Hell
What lies beneath the mask you wear!
What awful truths you cannot tell!

submitted for Magpie Tales, 74
dVerse Poets Pub, Open Link Night
One Single Impression, 177, Phantom

White Roses

Poetry Jam has challenged us to write a "dark" poem about flowers. Mine needs a bit of explanation: I volunteer for a local hospice, and each year we have a Service of Remembrance for those in our program who have died that year. The family members are each given a white rose at the service.

image source

The roses are a sea of white

To bloom within a sea of tears

Each bud held tenderly and tight

The roses are a sea of white

We pray to Heaven's gentle light

For hope to guide us through the years

The roses are a sea of white

To bloom within a sea of tears.

submitted for Poetry Jam, Flowers

Tree-o-let

photograph courtesy of Diana Lee

 Grace these boughs with rain and snow

Black winged angel of the wood

Sheltering the fawn and doe

Grace these boughs with rain and snow

Pine scented nests on earth below

Let doubters stand where Thoreau stood

Grace these boughs with rain and snow

Black winged angel of the wood.

submitted to Photograph Prose

The Builder

image source

“I build a painting by putting little marks together–some look like hot dogs, some like doughnuts.” – Chuck Close

  Break me down to make me whole

Stand back and admire your skill

Creator, master of control

Break me down to make me whole

 Revealing secrets of my soul

My life essence you distill

Break me down to make me whole

Stand back and admire your skill.

submitted for Friday Poetically at One Stop Poetry

A Triolet on Violets or Teenagers

image from Magpie 57

Benign neglect helps violets thrive

Don't light them too directly

Too much care they can't survive

Benign neglect helps violets thrive

Thirst a bit, the blooms arrive

Overwater, they wilt abjectly

Benign neglect helps violets thrive

Don't light them too directly

submitted for Magpie Tales 57